


hints

by ninepercent



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Best Friends, Friends to Lovers, Highschool AU, M/M, Mentions of other characters - Freeform, angst if you squint, chengstin are 12 they're only allowed to hold hands, soft babies, this is trash im telling you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-02
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-01 09:57:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14517999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninepercent/pseuds/ninepercent
Summary: justin liked dropping hints he had a crush on his best friend.he had a crush on his best friend.





	1. oblivious

**Author's Note:**

> trash ! but i promised my babie i'd do it lmao pls bear with me and my lowercases
> 
> english isnt my first language so this might (will lmao) contain mistakes you know the drill just dont neck me U.U

unbelievable.  
  
there was no other word to describe it. unbelievable. it was unbelievable how goddamn _naive_ fan chengcheng was.  
  
well, maybe naive wasn't the proper word for the case.   
  
oblivious.  
  
what else did he want? justin to stick a banner on his forehead and scream it at the top of his lungs too with a fucking megaphone?  
  
clueless.  
  
that was a good word for fan chengcheng too. it suited him.  
  
justin stared at the older from across the table while he was nose-deep on his economy book. chengcheng was a year above him, since justin skipped a grade, yet they liked to study together. it was usually pretty quiet, kind of like this. justin was naturally a loud and energetic person, silences weren't his thing really, but first, they were in the library and second, chengcheng wasn't an overly talkative one. but it was okay, justin liked the quietness for a change, especially when he was with chengcheng.  
  
"do you think i should get a pet?" the older boy snapped him out of his thoughts.  
  
"what kind of pet?" he said instead.  
  
"i'm not sure" he paused, look at some nonexistent point on the table with a slight frown. "i was thinking of a cat though" he finally met his eyes.  
  
_pretty._  
  
justin tried not to look affected though, he really didn't think chengcheng could feel the uneven rate of his heart but one is never too sure. "yeah, let's do it" he tried to ignore the fact he kind of included himself on his plans without really knowing if chengcheng wanted him there on the first place. but cheng smiled at him, all shy smile and looking down, and justin felt his heart do things again.  
  
"i talked to bingbing-jie" he said now more lively, finally forgetting about his book and resting both of his arms on it. "she said it's fine as long as i promise to take care of it, also it'll be good to keep me company-" he cut himself off all of sudden and a faint shade of pink spread on his cheeks. he looked down and cleared his throat. "since she's not always home and that stuff" he said now looking at his fidgeting fingers, voice low, justin almost didn't pick up what he said. if it wasn't for the fact they were on the library and everything was, overall, quiet.  
  
bingbing was chengcheng's older sister, they lived together since their parents always traveled and were home only for the hollidays. bingbing-jie worked at a hospital and had a mid-day shift, hence she left to work when chengcheng arrived from school, they were rare the times she was home when cheng was home. despite that, they had a great relationship, as well as loved and supported each other no matter what. it was beautiful honestly, it made justin a little jealous of no having any siblings.  
  
"well, when do you want to do it?" he said trying to ignore whatever happened to his best friend just now.  
  
"are you free this afternoon?"  
  
"you know i'm always free for you" he said with a wink, half jokingly, but not really.  
  
cheng laughed. he _laughed_. "don't be silly" he threw his eraser at him and justin tried to dodge away. "come on, it's almost time" he gathered all his things and left faster than justin's mind could process. justin saw him stop a few metes away from the table were justin still stared at him stupidly. "hurry" he mouthed, he could almost hear it clearly, and that was enough to get him out of his numb state. he grabbed his book and caught up with the older.  
  
_so oblivious._

him and chengcheng had been friends for over three years now, almost four, when the fan family moved to the house a few blocks away from his. they met at school and justin, being the outgoing boy he was, straight up talked to him because, well, he seemed nice. chengcheng on the other hand was a bit more shy and private, also very closed-off, and maybe justin would even say he scared him off at first, but if there was something justin admitted how good he was at was befriending people. it took its time, yes, but at the end they ended up clicking quite well and being best friends. chengcheng turned out to be very talkative once he feels comfortable around someone, also he was one of the sweetest boys justin knew.  
  
justin wasn't sure when it changed, he doesn't know why either. maybe it has always been there. maybe he just ignored it. maybe he was the one that made things different. or maybe it was cheng, but he didn't dare to blame him.

he always knew chengcheng was pretty, extremely attractive actually, but it was fine, it wasn't like he couldn't take his eyes off him when he wasn't looking, nor his heart raced every time he heard his laugh, neither like he could feel loosing himself on the shine of his eyes every time he was excited about something, nor he would do anything to make him feel better when he was down, because even when his face is beautiful enough to pull off anything, sadness didn't suit him. 

  
it wasn't like now, he thinks, staring at his best friend's side profile. he wasn't sure when it changed, when his feelings morphed, but it was what it was. at first he didn't know what to do, he ranted to his cousin zhengting, who's already in college, about how he was a horrible human and he was going to ruin their friendship. bad times honestly, but he's over that. after having that breakdown and then thinking it through for a total amount of two days, he decided he was going to win chengcheng's heart. he knew he could if he tried. he believed in himself and he knew it.  
  
it was easier said that done.  
  
chengcheng was one thick head. justin had tried flirting, complimenting, being subtle, being very _not_ subtle. and it all came down to one thing. nothing.  
  
fan chengcheng was physically unable to take the hint. a part of him had thought that maybe cheng just didn't like him, but he would've said something about it, right? he would've stopped his best friend from looking like a dumbass pinning over him for almost 5 months. he wouldn't let justin make a fool of himself putting his feelings on the line. he wouldn't do that, would he?  
  
_of course he wouldn't do that, you fucking idiot._  
  
god, he hates overthinking.  
  
"which one's your classroom?" justin said, eyes on the sign next to the classroom door at the end of the hallway.  
  
"uhm..." he checked his phone screen quickly and then turned it off. "yeah, the B-32" he looked a him with that smile of his, all flat lips, chubby cheeks and round eyes. justin raised an eyebrow.  
  
"wait" he said half laughing, stopping his tracks, hence chengcheng stopped too. he reached chengcheng's phone before he could have a chance to react. "you have your class schedule as your lockscreen?" he was laughing with his whole chest now.  
  
"shut up" he took his phone back. he was trying to look mad, but the smile on his lips betrayed him. he ended up laughing too, anyways. they resumed their walking and stopped right in front of the doorframe. "fuck, look" he said looking through the door. "there are no more seats at the front left" he pouted. justin stopped himself from cooing.  
  
"you're such a nerd" he said instead.   
  
"oh sorry, not all of us have your ability to have good grades without even paying attention to classes" he rolled his eyes, but his tone was playful anyways.  
  
"whatever, fool. see you in a while" he blew a kiss goodbye while he waved cheesily at him and made his way to his own class.  
  
he liked to think that the faint blush on chengcheng's cheeks wasn't his imagination playing tricks on him.


	2. friendly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "you two looked... very friendly"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again ! garbage !

justin walked down the hallways to chengcheng's economy class. he felt refreshed, he liked his biology class, there was something about it that made him feel light as air. like he had recharged his energy.  
  
however, the weight on his chest when he saw that girl, talking and laughing happily with chengcheng and he laughing back, felt everything _but_ light.  
  
he only had a clear view of her back, covered in long black hair, he saw how she said something to chengcheng, then chengcheng laughed and looked down shyly, she seemed amused though, laughing and playfully hitting his shoulder, and he laughed again too, because apparently their conversation was the funniest thing they ever heard. she said something else and he _blushed_. bright red on his cheeks.   
  
and justin was just standing there, staring.  
  
the girl grabbed her things and waved him goodbye though, finally turning her face him. and she was so pretty, almost perfect, with her pink lips and porcelain skin. the weight got heavier.  
  
they finally seemed to notice he was there thought, and he didn't really know what kind of expression he had at the moment, but by the way cheng looked almost afraid and the girl smiled too smug for his liking, he didn't think he'd like to know.  
  
he enters the room at the same time the girl is walking out. he didn't want to look at her, it gave him an odd sensation that it would mean she wins, which is stupid yeah, but so is he. he does dart a quick glance at he eventually when she's passing by his side, he swears he sees her smile widen right after, like it was funny almost, like he was a joke.  
  
maybe he was just a little afraid too.  
  
"so..." he paused "who was that?" he tried to sound casual, he really did, because that's what normal justin would do, but he's almost sure it came off a little too harsh, he didn't feel like giving a shit at the moment though. he stood next to cheng but it felt a little out of place, awkward almost, so he quickly decided to rest on the table next to him better.  
  
"zhou jieqiong..." he said low, not once meeting justin's eyes.   
  
something's off.  
  
"...and?" he forced himself to smirk and elbow him slightly.  
  
"what do you mean 'and'? that's that. i sat with her beause all the front seats were taken" he made quick eye contact, but broke it again.

_oh._

guess they are never going to be late for class again.  
  
"you two looked... very _friendly_ " he teased, trying to smile mischievously and ignore the bitter taste at the back of his throat.  
  
"are you perhaps jealous?" he teased back, now looking at him right in the eye with playful eyes.  
  
"yes, fan chengcheng, i'm jealous!" he said dramatically, clinging onto the older's arm a bit too tightly. "they're going to steal you from me and now i won't have an excuse to escape from my personal hell called home and go to your house and eat bingbing-jie's cookies, oh, chengcheng, you're going to replace me!" he swallowed the uglly taste of such words off his mouth and faked wiping his tears while sniffing.  
  
he turned his head back to chengcheng and he looked almost too done with him, but he's learned to read pass that, pass his cold expressionless face, he'd learned how to read what his eyes said.

and they looked oddly fondly. 

"first of all" he reached justin's face and justin stopped breathing for a moment, only to have his forehead flicked by chengcheng's fingers. he winced in pain, putting a hand on the affected area, "you're _stupid_. second, your house isn't a hell, your mom is adorable and she loves me" justin couldn't help but roll his eyes and snort, but he was smiling too widely again. "and third" he poked justin's stomach, but justin just laughed because it tickled, his chest felt warm again "you're _so stupid_ " they were both laughing now.  
  
justin was feeling too light again, for different reasons than his biology class.  
  
"hey, give me some credit" justin began to walk towards the door, followed by his best friend. "i bear with you everyday, don't i?".  
  
needless to say he felt a piercing pain on his ribs again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact this was supposed to be a 1.5k-ish oneshot but after a point i realised my initial idea grew some shoots and now we're here


	3. compressed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> it isn't small, it's just compressed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> funny title for this chapter lmao idk why it turned out so long but EnJOY
> 
> inspired by that video justin with baby tin

"should we really do this?" said the older once they were right in front of their local pet store.  
  
"why wouldn't we" justin glared at his best friend tiredly.  
  
" _because_  what if i'm not a good owner? what if i lose it? what if it escapes? what if- ugh, justin!" he held his pained head and turned to meet his cross-armed best friend's unimpressed stare.  
  
"and you call me stupid? that's rich" he rolled his eyes and, without even throwing a glace at him this time, straight up grabbed chengcheng's hand, entering the store and pulling his best friend along with him, hearing the bell ring above their heads once he did.  
  
he tried not to think to much of how soft his hand was. yeah, he was definitely not thinking about that.  
  
he let his eyes roam around a little. he saw so many different pets, from tiny goldfishes to huge dogs, he could hear all the noises correspondent to a pet store, it also smelled like a pet shop, but it didn't smell bad though, just like many showered excited puppies. he suddenly felt a hundred times happier himself.  
  
"hello!" a soft cheery voice spoke from behind the counter. sleepy eyes and a gentle dimpled smile made themselves known in matter of seconds "i'm yixing, may i help you?"   
  
"yes!" said justin darting his eyes rapidly at chengcheng's direction "he wants to buy a kitten" he smiled, cheng just gave yixing one of his cute flat smiles.  
  
"oh~" he said happily "have you thought of something specific?"  
  
"i didn't have anything in mind really" chengcheng's low voice spoke behind him. "but both me and my sister would prefer to have a cat"   
  
"i see" he smiled warmly with that cute dimple again. "follow me, please" he turned his back at them and began walking towards a blue door at their left.  
  
he opened the door and they saw a bunch of tiny baby kittens walking funnily on the ceramic floor, trapped behind some pet gates.  
  
if anyone asks he did _not_ let out that inhuman squeal.  
  
surprisingly, the first one to get to the kittens was chengcheng and not justin, running faster than justin had ever witnessed the older boy move.  
  
"ge, may you open it? please?" justin sat next to him on the floor, staring again, but cheng looked so cute, so young, he wanted to pinch his cheeks.  
  
justin heard the oldest laugh from the door and then walk up to their place, leaning down to open the tiny doors. "just don't get them too excited, they might believe you're taking all of them later, and they will be sad because you didn't" said man pouted, he was adorable. "animals have feelings too, you know?" justin opened his mouth to answer something, anything, but yixing got ahead of him "especially dogs and cats. cats are something, aren't they? they are like people, teenagers maybe, dogs are are like children, don't you think?" he was rambling now, justin decided it was better to sit and listen while he watching yixing open the lock "cats remember when you hurt them, and they will resent you for that, but dogs forget it, they might be a little silly too, like small kids, cats might have an attitude or even come off as cold but they are so sweet once they trust you" justin smiled to himself, it sounded somehow very familiar. "be careful with the babies, okay? i'll leave you guys alone so you can have some bonding time!"  
  
justin looked back at chengcheng and _oh_. oh, did it make his heart flip. chengcheng was lying on the floor covered in kittens, their curious tiny paws were playfully poking his cheeks and tugging at his clothes, and he was laughing. laughing.  
  
it wasn't like justin wanted to have an even heart rate, anyways.  
   
justin crawled next to his best friend and helped him sit upright. " _justin~_ " chengcheng pouted while pulling justin's arm violently, "i want to take them all home, they're so cute, i'm dying" it was funny to see chengcheng's stressed expression at how cute the kittens were. yeah, justin could kind of get it.  
  
serves him right, for a change.  
  
"you could, though" justin spoke, "but i don't think bing-jie will appreciate it" chengcheng looked literally like a sad face emoji. so _cute_.  
  
"okay, let's just choose one and end this suffering" he said, overdramatic as always. "they're just... so, so cute... look at their tiny paws!" that made him laugh but he agreed deeply because god were they adorable.  
  
cheng and him played with the kittens for another good ten minutes, until justin felt something licking the fingers of his right hand. he turned his head to find a tiny white kitten with blue eyes and a big gray dot on this right ear, it was tinier than the rest and somehow looked chubbier.  
  
"it's compressed!" chengcheng squealed before holding the small animal in his own arms, who seemed to be more than happy there, quickly getting comfortable and closing his eyes, rubbing his head against the older's chest.   
  
he raised an eyebrow "what the fuck does that even mean?" justin laughed.

"it means" he caressed the kitty's head, and then it licked his fingers with its tiny tongue. chengcheng laughed fondly "that the kitty is compressed. like, a normal tiny kitten but even tinier. because it's compressed, get it?" justin narrowed his eyes.  
  
"i give up" he said shaking his head. "i'm done trying to understand your cryptic attempt of language. i think it's time to end this friendship" cheng looked at him like he would've hit him very had if it wasn't for the sleeping kitty on his arms.  
  
"one word: dumb" he kept his face black, but he ended up laughing.  
  
"so what do you think, cheng?" he said instead, resting his weight on his elbows "are you taking this one?" he reached the kitten's head, caressing it slightly.  
  
"i think so" cheng looked down at it and smiled fondly to himself, then he looked back at justin, and he felt it.   
  
perhaps it was time, or maybe justin's heart, or his respiratory system, even justin himself. but something _froze_. chengcheng's eyes were looking deeply into justin's own, so fond and meaningful, so intense, so close. justin couldn't bring himself to look away, nor he could bring himself to breathe, his chest felt so full of unsaid words and restrained feelings for him. less than a second had passed, yet justin suddenly felt overwhelmed with so many emotions striking him at once, he felt like crying, he felt like laughing, he felt like doing something stupid, felt like kissing chengcheng. so he leaned towards him slightly.  
  
 _a little bit more-_  
  
"children~!" yixing's cheery voice broke the moment, scaring them both and justin swears he felt his soul leave his body and go back. "have you made up your minds?"

justin looked away in embarrassment, hearing chengcheng clear his throat. he darted his eyes at cheng, chengcheng wasn't even looking at him, eyes locked on the kitten in his arms, caressing its ears absently, cheeks red. justin could feel his own burning too.  
  
"we- we're taking it" cheng's voice cut through the silence. it was low, almost a whisper, a little shaky as well, too unlike his best friend, and for the second time that day, he feel that cold weight set on his chest.  
  
 _did i do something wrong? was that wrong?_  
  
"oh, great choice!" yixing said lively again, they got up from the floor and followed yixing out of the room. yixing went behind the counter and pulled out a cage. "i'm glad you're taking him, he's usually very shy around stranger and won't get near them" he smiled warmly at them.  
  
chengcheng put the kitten inside the cage, and and some signed paper and cat food bought later, they found themselves lying on chengcheng's room with tons of cat toys shed all over the floor.  
  
"have you thought of a name yet?" justin asked while pouring water onto the kittens plate.  
  
when they left they store chengcheng had felt different, more distant and deep into his own thoughts, so justin did what he does best. make a fool of himself to make cheng laugh. it worked though, so justin just pretended nothing happened a few moments ago, because he figured it was making chengcheng upset, and if he was then it was better to forget about it.  
  
"xixi, maybe? i'm not sure" he stared at the small animal take tiny licks off his water plate.  
  
"i like it, sounds cute" justin smiled, but chengcheng wasn't even looking at him for his life.  
  
"yeah".  
  
they fell into a silence again. it wasn't awkward per se, but ir was there, the conversation felt rigid and forced, no room for another comment, unless someone decided to deliberately add something else, it wasn't fluet as always. it's been that way ever since they got back from the pet shop. it wasn't anything extreme, but it was odd, maybe he was overthinking again, it's become a bad habit by now, but he didn't like the denseness of the air around them, and he knew chengcheng could feel it too.  
  
they haven't spoken about it. not yet. none of them brought the topic up and if justin was being honest he was almost scared to, cheng's reaction afterward wasn't exactly the most ideal, maybe he just really doesn't like justin and he's trying to make it clear. did he ruin it? did he push his boundaries too hard? did he scare him off? should he be the first to say something?  
  
"listen, cheng-".  
  
"i'm home!" bingbing's voice echoed through the walls and reached their ears, cutting just off on the spot.   
  
justin felt like crying, laughing and screaming at the same time again.  
  
"jiejie!" chengcheng answered excitedly, running like a lighting to wherever his sister was. again all too fast for justin's poor brain.  
  
he just sat there on the floor numbly, not believing his own luck. then he slowly got up and dusted off his pants.  
  
guess he fucked up big time-  
  
"hey, justin!" chengcheng's voice cut through the silence surprising justin, at first he thought he had imagined it until he heard it again, this time along with heavy and clumsy footsteps. "justin!" his best friend's figure appeared behind the doorframe, and he was smiling at him. "jiejie brought your favorite cookies, hurry before i eat them all" and he ran off just like that.  
  
justin felt his own smile grow bigger until he was smiling with every part of his face.  
  
maybe it was a sign.  
  
"yah, fan chengcheng! you eat all of them and i'll make you swallow the plastic bag!" he ran off right behind him.  
  
maybe some things were better off unsaid.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> xixi like fu xixi which is one of chengs nicknames owo again this was basura which is trash in spanish but i hope you liked it


	4. fries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> justin eats fries with a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idek what this is

justin wishes he could say nothing changed after that day, and partly nothing did, except maybe that now chengcheng had a new cat, and it was the cutest thing in the world, and maybe cheng ignored him a little when he was playing with xixi, but it was okay, because justin ignored him when he was playing with xixi too, yet that was not even part of the problem. they were still friends, they still hang out together as usual, walk school together as usual, went back home together as usual. nothing really changed.  
  
but maybe that was the thing. nothing changed. yes, justin acted like nothing happened after  _that_ happened, but he did it only in order not to make cheng uncomfortable. and he wasn't, after what seemed like the awkwardest two hours of their friendship, they went back to "normal", well, chengcheng sure did. he was talking to justin like nothing happened, no awkwardness, no silences, just them being their usual selves.  
  
and that irked justin the most, not about cheng, but about himself. because he felt like he didn't know what to do with his own feelings, his own wishes, feeling all too determined to try to make his best friend see, but also too afraid of actually meeting the unknown consequences it would carry.  
  
it irked him that he couldn't figure out what he wanted himself.  
  
"don't wait for me after school today" chengcheng's voice broke the silence of that thursday morning, snapping justin out of his thoughts.  
  
they were walking to school together, as they always do, as they've done for the past three years. since they lived to close from one another, it was only natural that they adopted the habit to, as well as the habit to go back home together too. justin wasn't much of a routine person himself, but chengcheng always found a way to make him find joy in things he usually wouldn't.  
  
they rarely _didn't_ walk back home together, even if they were going on different ways, they'd just go home together. so justin found a little... odd that he'd told him not to wait. just a bit.  
  
"why's that?" he asked expectantly, a little confusion washing over his features.  
  
"something came up with one of my teachers and i need to be there to solve it" but he wouldn't meet justin's eyes, and that wasn't almost ever a good sign.  
  
"mhh... well, i won't wait for you, i guess" he smiled, though he wanted to press further, to make cheng speak and tell him what he was really doing, but if he wanted to let justin know, he would, wouldn't he? they didn't keep things from each other.  
  
well, justin technically did keep things from him, but it was different. it was one thing and well, that wasn't the kind of thing you can say so thoughtlessly. and he wasn't good at confessing.  
  
 _hey, cheng, right, listen, i sort of like you and i think i'm kind of in love with you as well, yeah, i know, cool, isn't it? let's date._  
  
gross.  
  
"earth to justin" a hand waved in front of him. "are you even fucking paying attention to me? don't even answer, of course you're not" zeren said unamused, rolling his eyes.  
  
they were sitting on one of the tables. justin found zeren, one of his closest friend, on his way to the school backyard and the decided to sit together. they were having lunch since most of their friends were busy. xinchun and quanzhe said something about a group project to finish, wenjun had last-year-things to do, linkai didn't even attend school that day and cheng was, well, somewhere. justin was supposed to do homework himself, but he decided that feeding himself was much more important than his algebra problems, he was good at it anyways.  
  
"shit, i'm sorry" he halfheartedly replied, "what were you talking about again?" he tried to sound casual. zeren raised an eyebrow.  
  
zeren was well aware of justin's feelings for chengcheng, but honestly, who wasn't? except for the dumbass himself of course. he never mentioned anything to them though, yet they figured it out by themselves and justin just assumed they did, just like they assumed justin knew they knew as well.   
  
"noth-" he cut himself off suddenly, eyes glued to something right behind justin's shoulder, then his gaze went back to justin's but, by the look in his eyes, he wasn't going to enjoy this. justin turned around. and yeah, maybe he wishes he didn't.  
  
chengcheng was walking next to jieqiong, laughing again, because she's hilarious, also they were holding their lunch tray, therefore they intended to eat together.   
  
busy indeed.  
  
justin didn't feel jealous, maybe a little upset chengcheng didn't tell him, but didn't think he was actually jealous. like, it wasn't like he had any right to be, but he felt sad, and maybe a little worried somehow too, he wasn't sure, but how are you supposed to feel when a beautiful, sweet-looking girl, with more chances than you, suddenly comes into the picture and begins taking your best friend's time, who also happens to be the person you've liked for months and whose attention you might as well be used to monopolize.  
  
he figured that not too good.

justin turned his head back to his food and then to meet zeren's gaze, who looked too sympathetic for his liking, and then back to his food again. there was something odd setting on the bottom of his stomach, burning the base of his throat, making it hard for him to breathe. he didn't like it, not at all.  
  
but then he felt a piercing pain on his left knee and he knew zeren had kicked him, he looked up to him to ask _what the fuck is wrong with you, asshole? you're dirtying my pants_ but stopped right when he saw the soft worried look on zeren's eyes. zeren wasn't exactly good with emotional issues, but justin new that was him saying _hey, headass, im here for you_.  
  
"justin!" a high pitched voice called from the distance and justin could only exchange looks with zeren.  
  
in matter of seconds he had a cheery jieqiong along with a quiet chengcheng standing right next to them. she was smiling widely again and cheng was trying to look everywhere but him, he even looked a bit embarrassed and cute, justin might say, but that's off topic.  
  
"hi" he said, trying to sound excited and normal, something he wasn't really feeling. "what's up? i thought you were busy, _cheng_ " he smiled and hoped it didn't sound as bitter as he felt it did. he could see chengcheng reddening and then looking directly at him, opening his mouth to speak.  
  
"oh! yes! we had an assignment together and cheng was gonna help me do my part so we could wrap it up as soon as possible" she answered on his place, looking really happy and hyped, justin was getting annoyed, the poles were melting, species were going extinct and puppies were being left on the streets by careless owners, there was no reason to be that cheery and excited.  
  
 _stop being so dumb, huang minghao._  
  
he forced a smile on his face "oh, that's cool. have fun!" zeren said, mirroring her excitement, looking genuinenly happy. justin saw it as his cue to nod and smile, trying not to look too awkward. if he did, jieqiong didn't mention it. chengcheng, on the other hand, looked way too apologetic and guilty. and it made him feel bad, he didn't want to see his best friend upset.  
  
"justin, i know we had a study session today" cheng spoke all of sudden, voice low and paused, turning everyone's attention to him. right, the study session, that. "we could do that tomorrow, i mean, i don't know if you want to, like, it's just a study session and you probably have something else to do, maybe you even did your homework already and it's not like you need my help or anything, you're very smart and capable, you didn't skip one grade for nothing, i-" he cut himself off once he realized he was rambling and everyone was looking funnily at him. and his face reddened so hard, looking too small out of sudden and too cute for justin's heart. "i don't know, just- just let me know, please" he said with soft low voice, looking away in embarrassment. justin smiled. for real this time.  
  
god, he couldn't even be mad at this idiot.  
  
"cheng, it's fine" he reassured, "i'll go to your place tomorrow, okay?" he brushed off the urge to reach for chengcheng's hand squeeze it.  
  
" _great!_ " jieqiong's cheery voice spoke again, "i'm extremely glad everything is settled. now, i'll have to take him with me" she pouted. "we must finish this, so goodbye! say bye, cheng" her bright smile was back on her face. justin heard zeren chuckle. he turned his head at his friend and he was even smiling, looking all too amused.  
  
is it even okay for him to feel betrayed somehow?

you can't trust people these days.  
  
"goodbye, guys. good luck with your project" he waved at them.  
  
"goodbye!~".  
  
"bye".  
  
justin just stared at the two wave them goodbye.  
  
he sighed, looking back at his food.  
  
"well, that was something" the oldest commented.  
  
justin threw fry at him. not because he was mad, but just because he felt like it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> is this angst? idek anymore however yes lets pretend it didnt take me 10 days to update this and lets also pretend it was worth the wait so my fragile feelings arent hurt ! either way i hope yall enjoyed it thanks for bearing with my bullshit mwah


	5. dramarama

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> drama kids! watch out!

justin stared numbly at the scene that was unfolding before his eyes. he darted his gaze at chengcheng, who was standing by his side, and saw that he was as shocked as him, if not more, looking a little uncomfortable even. their eyes met and they told justin what he was already thinking.

_what the actually fuck..._

zhou jieqiong was sitting in their table, with their friends, and they were all chatting and laughing like the world had no issues. she was sitting next to linkai and wenjun, right across zeren, smiling amused. everyone was there, even xinchun and quanzhe and they never showed up for lunch.

justin didn't dislike jieqiong  _per_ _se_ , don't misunderstand him, but he just didn't get how in the short span of two weeks she had managed to be everywhere, being friends of everyone, anytime. at this point he was scared his mom came up to him one day and told him she was her best friend's daughter and she was now living with them because their house burned down or who even knows what.

not that he was being dramatic or anything.

after standing there like idiots for about two minutes, linong spotted them and called them over. justin snapped out of it and felt chengcheng's hand grabbing his wrist and pulling him towards them.

justin's feet followed along in kind of a robotic way, still a bit stunned by everything. he glanced at cheng and saw an awkward smile sitting on his features and almost felt bad for him.

"hi! i thought you were never getting out of class" jieqiong greeted cheerful as always, justin didn't answer since he thought she was talking to cheng so what was the point, right? but her big expectant brown eyes darting enthusiastically between him and said boy made him realize that _oh no, one has said anything_  and  _oh, she's waiting for answer from one of us._

"cheng took forever in gathering his stuff" he rolled his eyes while taking the seat next to linkai, remembering how he had to whine to get him to hurry the fuck up. cheng sat right next to him.

"that's not true" he bit back immediately, "you got distracted with this–"

"yeah, i've got some experience with cheng's tendency to take forever to get things  _done_ " she interrupted absently, almost innocent, but there was a noticeable undertone to it, something overwhelmingly unsettling hiding under the surface, and chengcheng looking away seeming embarrassed like he wanted to vanish and the the knowing look everyone shared was enough for justin to know that they noticed it too.

jieqiong, on the other hand, was just calmly poking her cheesecake, like she didn't just make the entire atmosphere feel heavy and loaded.

"how's xixi thought?" quanzhe's soft voice spoke making everyone turn at him, a little bit too aggressively, overwhelming the poor boy, who did nothing but pout cutely.

"you're so cute!" jieqiong got up from her place and squeezed his cheeks, making the boy go red as a tomato, and suddenly everyone was laughing like two minutes ago didn't just happen.

"he's fine" chengcheng answered with a loving smile on his face. "he got used to my house pretty quickly and bing-jie loves him, so it's been great" he tried to steal one of justin's grapes and he let him, because how could he say no when he looked that  _cute_?

"hey, justin, i heard this lingchao kid was looking for you" linkai spoke up, gaining the table's attention.

"lingchao? i think i know him. he's part of the drama club, right? why would he be looking for me?"

"i'm not sure, dude, but he looked like it was serious, he told me to tell you he'd meet you in the room D-16 after the last period was over" he poked his weird-looking pizza. justin raised an eyebrow, ready to argue.

"he always seem serious though" linong added before he could say anything. "once he came to me and told me he was dying. afrer asking him for five whole minutes what was wrong, he finally said it was because his theater play was taking place the same day as his favorite show's final episode" he rolled his eyes.

"drama club kids are always a handful" jieqiong added.

"i think you should go" cheng muttered. "and don't worry about me. i'll just wait for you outside, okay?" he squeezed his hand under the table and justin felt his heart do the thing.

he swallowed. "well... i guess i'll meet him then, if it's as serious as you all claim".

"next stop:  _drama club justin_ " linkai joked.

chengcheng snorted. "he's already a drama queen, he'll fit in just fine" he laughed and justin pinched him, but ended up laughing either way.

justin thought it was weird though, the thing about lingchao, he really never spoke to the kid before and they didn't share any classes, he's only seen him around a few times but that was it. he didn't understand why he would need him. something didn't feel quite right.

but chengcheng's hand was still on his own, so did anything really matter? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> everyday i find a way to outdo myself and deliver worse content its almost a talent huh  
> anyways i hope your standards are low enough to consider my work decent jk i love all of you :(( thanks for leaving kudos and comments i love reading them mwah  
> also leave something on my [cc](https://curiouscat.me/zhengzheng) thx


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